Method of and apparatus for making folded metal sections



Aug. 11, 1936. M. TRYTTEN METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING FOLDED METAL SECTIONS Original Filed June .20

lIIIIIIIIIIIlI/ l I YINVENTOR Merriam H. Tryffen BY?1 E 7.7 g

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND APPARATUSFOR MAKING FOLDED METAL SECTIONS Merriam H. Trytten, Johnstown, Pa., assignor of one-half to Frederick T.

Ohio

Hicks, Cleveland,

9 Claims.

My invention pertains to folded sheet metal sections for construction and building purposes and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for assembling and fabricating the same,

and the present application is a division of my copending patent application Serial No. 676,612 flied June 20, 1933.

Many of the characteristics of sheet metal are very desirable for various kinds of construction work and particularly for building since it is fireproof, rigid, and capable of being worked into suitable elements by automatic machinery at the factory for rapid erection at the site of construction. Furthermore, sheet metal may be and thin.

By contrast the usual building materials must be laboriously assembled by hand at the site of building. Furthermore, the conventional building materials are so heavy and bulky that the walls and partitions of buildings are usually very thick thereby wasting a large portion of the space within the building limits, and adding greatly to the weight of the building. This necessitates still thicker walls and supports in the lower floors to support the great weight of the upper floors.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide sheet metal element sections having a formation and character desirable for construction and building.

A further object of my invention is to provide folded sheet metal wall or partition units having improved heat and acoustic insulating properties.

It is also an object of my invention to provide sheet metal sections which are rigid and light and which may be conveniently assembled and mounted for quick erection to form the walls, partitions, ceilings and floor portions of buildings.

Another object of my invention is to provide construction or building units and sections which may be fabricated mechanically at a factory and conveniently erected and united at the building site.

In accordance with my invention I join a pair of metal sheets in interlocking relation spaced apart by insulating material interposed therebetween whereby there is no direct metallic contact from one side of the panel to the other. The interlocking portions on the metallic sheets or plates comprise parallel dovetailed folds which also serve as internal braces contributing to the stiffness and rigidity of the section in one direcassembled into sections which are relatively light tion. Suitable end plates and flanges are applied along the open edges of the panel to hold the adjacent metallic folds in alignment and stiffen the panel at right angles to the folds.

The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of construction, together with additional 'objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a fold ed sheet metal section constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line II-II;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the mechanical fabrication of a panel section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a completed metal section assembled with a top cap and a bottom flange for mounting.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views thereof;

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing how a pair of metal sections are joined at right angles as in the corner of a room;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the joint of sheets in adjacent sections; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing how a very rigid panel or floor member may be created by uniting two of my metal sections with their grooves disposed at right angles.

Referring more specifically to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, it will be seen that a folded sheet metal section constructed in accordance with my invention comprises a pair of metallic plates or sheets I and 2 with an insulating material 3 between them. To hold them in mutually interlocking relation, the plates, which are preferably of steel or some other metal having appreciable resilience, are reversely bent to provide parallel folds 4 opening toward opposite sides. The folds are of substantially triangular crosssection with their side walls inclining together. When interfolded, the resilience of the metal provides sufficient engagement, the triangular grooves dovetailing together and the resilience of the metal plates holding them in firm position.

The use of bolts, rivets, or other metallic fastening members, between the plates is thus avoided, and the plates constituting the opposite sides of the section may be effectively insulated from each other in accordance with the characteristics of the interposed insulating material. The plates or sheets, used in assembling the section are first corrugated by reversely folding or bending, in any well known manner. An insulating material having the desired property of insulating thermally or acoustically or both, as the particular application may require, is applied, by adhesive material or simply folded in, to one surface of each plate either before or after corrugation. If a suiiicient thickness of the insulating material can be caused to adhere to one surface to provide the insulating characteristics desired for the intended use, it is only necessary to apply it to one of the plates of each pair.

The heat insulating characteristics of a panel constructed in accordance with my invention depend very much upon the particular insulating material used, its thickness, and the porosity of the material. For any arbitrary set of conditions, the superior thermal insulating characteristics of this structure may be readily demonstrated. The absense of direct metallic conductive connection between opposite sides of the panel also provides a very favorable acoustic insulating property which is also desirable in a building structure.

The coordination of a pair of folded plates into interlocking relation is best accomplished by bending the plates in opposite directions to open theabutting edges of the corrugations, disposing the opened corrugations in juxtaposed relation and releasing the bending force to permit the associated portions to spring together in interlocking relation, as shown in Fig. 3.

Means suitable for conveniently carrying out the method of assembly is diagrammatically represented in Fig. 3, and comprises a pair of rollers I and 8 for simultaneously bending two plates I and 2 while drawing them in and forcing the corrugations 4 together. Roller guides I3 cause the folded plates to approach the rolls angularly whereby they are caused to bend around the rolls as they approach. The rollers are driven by any suitable motive means (not shown). A tensioning force applied to draw out the joined edges of the plates facilitates the process of bending them and drawing them through the rollers to force them together. Such a force may be applied by means of a clamp 9 connected to a threaded sleeve III which is driven by a threaded shaft II rotated simultaneously with the roller 8 through suitable gearing I2 or other transmission means. As the plates are thus interlocked in firm gripping relation, by the resilient corrugations springing together, the insulating material on the sillface of one or both plates is bound between them thereby holding them spaced and insulated.

The completed section S is provided with a cap plate I4 extending along one of the open edges with depending flanges I5 adjacent the side plates I and 2 of the section to which they may be secured in any suitable manner, as by welding. The other open edge of the section is also closed by a base plate I1 which may be provided with laterally extending portions I8 for attachment to the floor by lag screws I9, or in any suitable manner for mounting the section as a wall or partition.

. When two sections are to be jointed, the edges of the sheets are cut at regular intervals and bent alternately in and out to provide tongues 20 which interlock, as shown in Fig. 8. The outer sheets would likewise interlock and may be further secured as by welding.

When a pair of metal sections S are to be joined at right angles, as in the corner of a room, a special corner section 2I is joined to the panels in the manner described.

"'4 are selected in accordance with the characteristics desired. The corrugations may be made quite shallow to make a thin partition, providing they are of sufficient depth to lock two plates together, or theymay be made deep to increase the rigidity of the section.

When a very rigid member or floor element is required, this may be fabricated by uniting or spot welding two of the sections S together with their grooves 4 turned at right angles, as shown in Fig. 9. The various building elements and sections are preferably made in standard sizes and shapes which may be combined to accommodate the requirements of builders.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of fabricating a sheet metal section from folded metal sheets which comprises the steps of bending the sheets to open the folds, forcing the folds together, and releasing the bending force whereby the resilience of the sheet closes the folds together in mutually interlocking relation.

2. The method of fabricating a sheet metal section from folded metal sheets which comprises the steps of applying a coat of insulating material to the inner surfaces of the sheets, bending the sheets to open the folds, forcing the folds together, and releasing the bending force whereby the resilience of the sheet closes the folds together in mutually interlocking relation.

3. Means for fabricating a metal section from folded metal sheets comprising a pair of adjacent rolls for drawing the plates together while bending them to open the folds, and guide means to hold the approaching plates in angular relation.

4. Means for fabricating a metal section from folded metal sheets comprising a pair of adjacent rolls for drawing the plates together while bending them to open the folds, and means for applying a tension for pulling the joined edge of the section away from the rolls.

5. Means for fabricating a metal section from.

-folded metal sheets comprising a pair of adjacent rolls for drawing the plates together while bending them to open the folds, guide means to hold the approaching plates in angular relation, and means for applying a tension for pulling the joined edge of the section away from the rolls.

6. Means for fabricating a metal section from folded metal sheets comprising means for bending the sheets to open the folds while forcing the opened folds together and thereafter releasing the sheets.

7. The method of fabricating a sheet metal unit of two metal sheets having alternately inverted key-stone folds which comprises moving the respective sheets together angularly and pressing their folds together in parallel interlocking relation.

8. The'method of fabricating a sheet metal unit 01' two metal sheets having alternately inverted key-stone folds which comprises rolling the sheets together to dispose the folds in parallel interlocking relation and guiding the approaching unjoined portions of the sheets in angular relation to open said folds.

9. The method of fabricating an insulated sheet metal unit of two resilient steel sheets having alternating inverted key-stone folds which comprises applyinga force to urge the resilient steel sheets together with their folds disposed in parallel interlocking relation, applying a force to hold the unjoined portions in angular relation to open said folds and applying insulation between said sheets.

MERRIAM H. 'IRYTI'EN. 

